Ketchikan
In Ketchikan it rains 360 day's a year, they measure in feet not inches
Postcard I sent home to darion and the girls from Ketchikan
One of the tours we could have taken, Ketchikan by horse drawn trolly
Our first stop on the tour was a eagle santuary, here we have injured eagle's that have been treated and now live happily. I was shocked at the peoply on our tour that had never seen a bald eagel, something I take so forgranted living in Washington
Totem Heritage center, Beautiful Totem poles inside, we were not allowed to take pictures inside
God created Skunk cabbage for a really special purpous, bears eat the stem when they come out of hibernationm it is a laxitive for them. Deer eat the flower for the same reason, Eskimos use the leaves to smoke fish in and and bears eat the root's for food
On a walk to totem village we passed many interesting things, here we have nature reseeding itself, a seed fell on the stump of a fallen tree and we can see the roots going down into the ground.
Here we have bear bread, it grows on the side of trees and the bears eat it, it is like a toothbrush to them
Here we are at the intrance to the totem village, is the birds wings are folded across the chest then it is a bureal totam pole. I am sure glad this one was not, It sure is a beautiful totem pole
Clan House
These amazing houses were built without any nails, these houses could be easly unassembled and moved to a new location if they needed to. A clan house was shared by several differeant families.
There were four of these totem poles in each clan house, they were the support for the roof, each totem tells the story of the family, amazing how large they all are, the time and talen it took to make them is amazing
A clan house was one big room with a fire pit in the middle, a large fire was built in the center to keep the house warm, there were four smaller fires in the corners that were used for cooking. Several different families lived in one clan house.
The door to the clan house is very small and the only way in is to duck and go head first. It was purpously made this this way, if a enemy came in they could be wacked in the head as they came in.
TOTEM VILLAGE
Here we see deer, bear and other wildlife mounted on the wall. In this gift shop where we stoped after the tour we see a walrus mounted.
Darion's only request from me this trip was to bring him back a totem pole. My first idea was to bring him back a large totem pole, while on this tour I learned that totem poles carved my master carvers sold for $100.00 a foot, needless to say Darion got a 1 foot tall totem pole. I love the one I got him, I saw the original one that it was carved from.
This is my 4th cruise. I have loved all of them, this will always be a special cruise. I learned so very much, the other cruises have been just for fun & yes this was fun and also educational.
This cute polar bear was out front of a gift shop
Even with the rain the mountains were beautiful
Our ship, looking out the rain splattered window of the tour bus
Ketchikan's Polar Bear
May 19 Seward & Achorage Alaska
